“The bottom line is that we were terrified, and vowed never to explore anywhere near that part of the island again.”

Comment on TripAdvisor by Canadian tourist MelvaOntario_Canada, January 8, 2015

“Just got back from an amazing trip to Barbados. The only negative part was that we ran into the Boscobel toll gang. Reading some of the accounts I have read online, I think we got off pretty lightly, but it was still a pretty scary experience. Steer clear of Boscobel unless you want to get mugged!”

The Boscobel “Road Toll Gang” has been terrorizing and extorting tourists and outsiders for at least ten years. Thousands of tourists have been accosted and frightened into paying money to pass.

Hotels and car hire agencies regularly warn tourists to avoid the Boscobel area, lest the tourists be frightened when the gang blocks the road and demands money to pass. As they do each and every day at the “TEE” intersection.

These thugs have been subjects of discussions at Trip Advisor and other travel forums for a full ten years. Writing to a Canadian tourist in 2010, Prime Minister David Thompson declared the matter closed, telling the tourist “I believe that this matter has been investigated and I have certainly received no other negative reports.”

The Prime Minister unfortunately was either uninformed or shining on the Canadian – because Toll Gang activity continued and grew.

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Boscobel, Barbados – home turf of the Boscobel Toll Gang

Barbados Free Press didn’t break the story of the gang, we merely reported what was being said on other very influential tourist websites. We published many articles about the Boscobel Toll Gang and chided the police for not doing anything. We chided the police for failing to respond to a shooting at a Boscobel football match where witnesses reported one of the toll gang fired shots from a round-gun (revolver). BFP and others called the police helpless and incompetent that this gang of thugs should be taking money from thousands of tourists for all these years.

And still the gang continues while the Barbados Police sleep, drink or whatever it is they do instead of defending our tourist based economy from this gang.

I’m a Barbadian and encountered some of this same lawless bunch in 2012 while visiting. They haven’t robbed the ‘right’ tourist yet, Someone aught to put a few of the gang members out of their misery since the authorities cannot.

Whilst this isn’t funny- mini Somalia pirate gang eh! we have a bunch of what some may robbers, doing similar but legally between England and Wales. Its called Severn Bridge crossing PLC. Its £6.50 for a car and £19.60 for a truck to go over. That’s to travel less than a mile (1.5k) Our feckless politicians caused this business barrier to happen the way it has, I expect yours are doing the same!

Sadly yet another example of poor policing, what in Gods name does it take to trap these, the most obvious criminals on the planet. We have family visiting this year and I have to say I am advising them about not visiting what was once a safe, secure and beautiful island, my thoughts are with the law biding Bajans,probably 99.9% of the population, who are suffering with these wretched people and a pathetic, inefficient police force

Under paid police, over paid Politicians, thousands of laid off workers with no hope ,half naked prostitutes up and down Bush hill . When Cuba come of line as a major tourists destination, it will be lights out for Barbados and the Boscobel toll gang.

The Barbados Police Force must know who these people are. Everyone in Barbados knows someone that knows someone else who knows what goes on. About three years ago we went past the Boscobelle turn hiking and the gang were surprisingly much less threatening than if we were in a car, a bit red eyed but that was it. This however doesn’t make the situation tenable. These people must be stopped from harassing visitors. Mr Lashley, Minister of Tourism, is so keen to say what he is doing to promote tourism but he does nothing to stop the drain of tourists that won’t return because they have been scared.

This situation is easy to resolve, probably no need to even send a police car, just have a word with the perpetrators. The authorities, if they have already done their homework, already know who the villains are.

We were accosted by these people last year and it was the only bad thing that happened during our vacation. It frightened my wife and I thought what would I do if it became serious but they only asked for money and I said no and drove on. i don’t understand why the police allow this to happen for so many years.